1796
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Women Beside a Stream Chasing Fireflies is a 1796 by Chôbunsai Eishi, a Romanticism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
Three women in light robes stand by a dark stream, waving fans at tiny glowing fireflies. Their long sleeves ripple like water in the night breeze. Eishi painted this in Edo-period Japan, when firefly-chasing was a summer pastime for city women. The glow isn’t from paint—it’s empty paper showing through, so the fireflies look like real light. If you like quiet night scenes, look up *sfumato*.
A group of women amuse themselves by chasing fireflies next to a stream. A sense of movement is conveyed by their sleeves fluttering in the breeze.
This print is the center print from a triptych, but the museum does not have the left and right prints.
Read the full account in the museum source.
Chōbunsai Eishi (鳥文斎 栄之; 1756–1829) was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist. His last name was Hosoda (細田). His first name was Tokitomi (時富). His common name was Taminosuke (民之丞) and later Yasaburo (弥三郎). Pupil of Kano Eisen'in…
See the richer artist page
